I Was a Chicago Vice Lord — Then I Got 25 Years in Prison | Greg McNeal

Greg McNeal grew up in Chicago in a good family, but when his parents fell into addiction, he turned to the streets at a young age. In this episode of Locked In with Ian Bick, Greg shares how he used his business mindset to build a drug empire while also opening legitimate businesses, always believing he had an exit plan. That all came crashing down when the feds caught him up in a case tied to someone else, leading to a trial and a 25-year federal prison sentence. Greg breaks down what it was like facing that kind of time, serving four years behind bars, and then doing the unthinkable — winning his appeal on a technicality. He explains how his sentence was reduced to a year and a day, finishing his time in a federal camp, and what it took to completely rebuild his life after prison. _____________________________________________ #TrueCrime #Chicago #DrugEmpire #DrugTrafficking #PrisonStory #FederalCase #CrimeStories #exinmate _____________________________________________ Connect with Greg McNeal: Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/p/CqDp4Pasgv7/?igsh=ZHh6bjRwdndtb2Z2 Merch: https://realionairelifestylecollection.com/ Website: https://mindsetshifters.org/ _____________________________________________ Hosted, Executive Produced & Edited By Ian Bick: https://www.instagram.com/ian_bick/?hl=en https://ianbick.com/ _____________________________________________ Shop Locked In Merch: http://www.ianbick.com/shop _____________________________________________ Timestamps: 00:00 From Street Hustle to Federal Prison 03:48 Growing Up in Chicago 07:49 Getting Pulled Into Street Life 12:03 Building a Drug Empire 18:15 Gang Life & Street Politics 23:15 Living a Double Life (Legal vs Illegal) 27:51 How the Federal Case Started 32:33 Arrest, Trial & Sentencing 39:10 Life Inside Federal Prison 45:01 Mindset Shift & Finding Purpose 48:38 Overturning a Federal Conviction 51:10 Coming Home & Starting Over 01:00:10 Entrepreneurship After Prison 01:06:08 Advice for Ex-Cons & Reentry 01:10:48 Family, Reflection & Growth 01:15:02 Books, Business & Final Thoughts Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices